Cell incubator and incubation condition monitoring system

Abstract

A cell incubator includes: a culture cell accommodating section which accommodates cells to be cultured and a culture solution; and an RFID tag which is attached to the culture cell accommodating section and which is configured to transmit predetermined information to a communicating apparatus in response to reception of a signal that is wirelessly transmitted from the communicating apparatus.

1 . A cell incubator comprising:
 a culture cell accommodating section which accommodates cells to be cultured and a culture solution; and   an RFID tag which is attached to the culture cell accommodating section and which is configured to transmit predetermined information to a communicating apparatus in response to reception of a signal that is wirelessly transmitted from the communicating apparatus.   
     
     
         2 . The cell incubator according to  claim 1 , further comprising a sensor which is configured to directly or indirectly measure at least one of a temperature of the culture solution, a carbon dioxide concentration, an oxygen concentration, an oxygen partial pressure, a glucose concentration, a lactate concentration, and an ammonia concentration,
 wherein the RFID tag is configured to transmit the predetermined information that includes a result of measurement by the sensor to the communicating apparatus.   
     
     
         3 . The cell incubator according to  claim 2 , wherein the sensor is incorporated in the RFID tag. 
     
     
         4 . The cell incubator according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the RFID tag includes:
 a storage section which stores the predetermined information; and 
 an information transmitting section which, in response to reception of the signal that is transmitted from the communicating apparatus, is configured to read out the predetermined information stored in the storage section and transmit the predetermined information to the communicating apparatus. 
   
     
     
         5 . The cell incubator according to  claim 4 , wherein the storage section stores the predetermined information that includes at least an identification code and information related to a history of passage of the cells. 
     
     
         6 . The cell incubator according to  claim 4 , wherein contents of the predetermined information stored in the storage section are rewritable in accordance with contents of the signal that is transmitted from the communicating apparatus. 
     
     
         7 . The cell incubator according to  claim 4 , wherein
 the RFID tag includes a driving current producing section which is configured to convert a part of the signal that is transmitted from the communicating apparatus to a direct current, and   the information transmitting section is configured to transmit the predetermined information to the communicating apparatus, using the direct current which is converted by the driving current producing section as a driving current.   
     
     
         8 . The cell incubator according to  claim 1 , further comprising a measuring unit which includes a light emitting section and a light receiving section, the measuring unit in which the light emitting section transmits light through the culture solution and the light receiving section receives the transmitted light, thereby measuring a condition of the culture solution, the measuring unit which is accommodated in a measuring unit accommodating section disposed integrally with the culture cell accommodating section, the measuring unit which is configured to transmit a result of measurement to the communicating apparatus. 
     
     
         9 . The cell incubator according to  claim 8 , wherein the RFID tag is configured to transmit the predetermined information to the communicating apparatus through the measuring unit. 
     
     
         10 . The cell incubator according to  claim 8 , wherein the measuring unit is configured to measure a pH of the culture solution. 
     
     
         11 . The cell incubator according to  claim 1 , further comprising a measuring unit which includes a light emitting section and a light receiving section, the measuring unit in which the light emitting section transmits light through the culture solution and the light receiving section receives the transmitted light, thereby measuring a condition of the culture solution, the measuring unit which is accommodated in a measuring unit accommodating section disposed integrally with the culture cell accommodating section,
 wherein the RFID tag is configured to transmit the predetermined information that includes a result of measurement by the measuring unit to the communicating apparatus.   
     
     
         12 . The cell incubator according to  claim 11 , wherein the measuring unit is configured to measure a pH of the culture solution. 
     
     
         13 . A cell incubator comprising:
 a culture cell accommodating section which accommodates cells to be cultured and a culture solution; and   a measuring unit accommodating section which accommodates a measuring unit that includes a light emitting section and a light receiving section, the measuring unit in which the light emitting section transmits light through the culture solution and the light receiving section receives the transmitted light, thereby measuring a condition of the culture solution, wherein   a part of the culture cell accommodating section is located between the light emitting section and light receiving section.   
     
     
         14 . The cell incubator according to  claim 13 , wherein
 the part of the culture cell accommodating section is projected between the light emitting section and light receiving section.   
     
     
         15 . The cell incubator according to  claim 13 , further comprising an RFID tag which is attached to the culture cell accommodating section and which is configured to transmit predetermined information to a communicating apparatus in response to reception of a signal that is wirelessly transmitted from the communicating apparatus. 
     
     
         16 . An incubation condition monitoring system comprising:
 the cell incubator according to  claim 1 ; and   the communicating apparatus which is configured to receive the predetermined information from the RFID tag by transmitting the signal to the RFID tag.   
     
     
         17 . The incubation condition monitoring system according to  claim 16 , further comprising an incubator which accommodates a plurality of the cell incubator,
 wherein the communicating apparatus is disposed in the incubator.   
     
     
         18 . The incubation condition monitoring system according to  claim 16 , wherein the communicating apparatus produces an alarm signal in accordance with a result of measurement by a measuring unit or a sensor, the measuring unit which includes a light emitting section and a light receiving section, the measuring unit in which the light emitting section transmits light through the culture solution and the light receiving section receives the transmitted light, thereby measuring a condition of the culture solution, the sensor which is configured to directly or indirectly measure at least one of a temperature of the culture solution, a carbon dioxide concentration, an oxygen concentration, an oxygen partial pressure, a glucose concentration, a lactate concentration, and an ammonia concentration.